Steven M. Cohen observes: “When discussing ‘identity’ of Jews the term ‘identity’ is misleading. When applied to Jews, its connotations are too individual, too static, and too attitudinal. ‘Jewish identity’ is—or should be seen as—a social identity, referring not only … [Read More]
Manfred Gerstenfeld
“In the mid-1970s Daniel Elazar wrote a comprehensive and seminal book, Community and Polity, which analyzed the structure of organized Jewish life in the United States.1 Elazar documented ways in which American Jewry had successfully developed from being highly fragmented to … [Read More]
The condition and comfort level of Jews are influenced to a great extent by society at large. Hence, to assess the future of American Jewry attention must also be given to potentially major changes in the social, political, and economic … [Read More]
Published in American Jewry’s Comfort Level by Manfred Gerstenfeld and Steven Bayme, 2010 American Jewry, like the America of which it is a component, in the years following World War II perceived itself as poised to undertake global responsibilities. By far … [Read More]
The conclusion of a strategic document should be short. The propaganda battles against Israel have developed over the past decades into a major war. The battles have also become far more sophisticated. Israel, however, has not properly organized its defenses, … [Read More]
The anti-Israeli propaganda war has been waged for decades already. Its intensity has greatly increased in the new century. Demonization events and incidents are now reported by the Israel media almost daily. One is continuously reminded of this war as … [Read More]
As we approach the end of the first decade of the twenty-first century, American Jewry faces daunting new challenges that demand fresh responses. The ever- accelerating pace of change renders policies of the past as obsolete as yesterday’s newspaper. The … [Read More]
The fight against anti-Semitism has been waged for a long time. Established Jewish organizations have been active in this field for decades. Some are international such as the World Jewish Congress, which created a European associate, the European Jewish Congress … [Read More]
The ongoing physical and verbal attacks against Israel have had a gradual negative effect in a variety of areas. Several years ago there were already indications of how far its demonizers had succeeded in damaging Israel’s image. A 2006 report … [Read More]
The rising anti-Semitism and the demonization of Israel, particularly in Europe, have led to a change in behavior and attitudes of large segments of the Jewish population there. While this change has taken place over a longer period, much of … [Read More]